Bryan in for Ampadu, Burke in for Moose, the rest unchanged.
Stevens doesn't deserve a place in the side whether he's fit or not, Bogle offers far more attacking threat than Baldock, Burke should replace Mousset regardless of the latter's fitness. So those injury concerns don't make much difference. Drop Ampadu because he's genuinely worse at football than Kean Bryan.
I don't disagree with this. I'm just conscious that we've done a lot of chopping and changing.
Yes, you try to find the right formula, but seldom do players just thrown together hit it off immediately. I suppose there is a fine balance between sticking with something that isn't working and giving something a chance to work.
Having slept on this, I'd be more than happy to set up with Burke and McGoldrick as the front two for some time and accept their limitations.
Burke is not the best finisher but it is hard to deny that his raw pace does pose a danger to even the best of defences. Behind him, McGoldrick is probably the best schemer we have. He's getting on but this isn't showing in his performances, he's more tricky than someone who relies on pace and he is top scorer despite him taking a while to break his duck last term. He's probably my favorite United player right now. He's just a joy to watch.
I also think we need continuity. Mousset can be a very good impact sub but he can't be relied upon with his fitness presently to be part of the regular starting plan. McBurnie has reinvented himself as a target man really but I'll be honest, that's not how I want us to play. He's started to show more aggression and can be a decent alternative but I think I like the idea of pace from the off and perhaps Mousset and McBurnie with McGoldrick behind when the game is aging would be a good plan B.
I've not even mentioned Billy, who I think would be ok in 3-4-1-2 in front of McGoldrick, where he got 24 in the Championship while McGoldrick was notching 15 but alongside Burke who's pace would create space for Billy.
I really don't see what Brewster adds right now. Though it would be an admission of failure, as a player he'd probably develop better on loan at Swansea again and playing every week than having a dice rolled on whether he'd get on or not.
Ampadu is a real conundrum. We seem to have got sucked in with the actual 'thought' of Ampadu being this incredible age defying prospect rather than his current ability level and usefulness to us. If you are not signing a midfielder permanently then brokering a move for someone with a proven record you'd otherwise not afford but who is out of favour like Lindgard would have been better. Ampadu smacks me of. Sloan signing for a decent Championship club, not one to kick on a team finishing 9th.
For all the in joke of Bryan never playing and being more famous for his partner, he is at least our player. He isn't slow, he's decent on the ball, quite tall but probably lacks some positional sense which he's only going to improve upon by playing. You could possibly toss a coin on the pair in terms of how reliably they will fill in for JOC but right now I see Ampadu in one of two roles - being sent back to Chelsea to go on loan elsewhere or Jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none sub for when you want to move Basham or Norwood tires etc.
I think you are stuck with Lunny until you secure a good enough incoming loan. I don't see anyone coming in with enough money to make it worthwhile being a further midfielder short though Rangers losing Airfield maybe makes them consider bringing a bid forward.
Very long way of saying if we don't go with the old adage of not changing a winning team then I'm with you
